Of course, the main goal of a business is to attract as many customers as possible. Despite this, making your business accessible goes way beyond this. As a business owner, it’s important to ensure that your company is as inclusive as possible, which means eliminating certain barriers that prevent people with disabilities from accessing your establishment. This also means incorporating measures that assist people with disabilities in accessing your premises. Not only does this enable you to expand your customer base, but it allows you to contribute towards the creation of a more inclusive society. Discover how to make your business more accessible below.
Provide Ample Parking
Firstly, you should provide ample parking, including disabled spots and parent-and-child spots. In order to ensure that your parking spaces are being used correctly, you might implement a pay and display system. This way, you can monitor the cars within your parking lot and ensure your priority spots are being used by those who need them most. This is especially important in large cities where parking is limited, as this could deter a lot of people with additional needs from visiting your premises. Essentially, you want to make their journey to you as easy as can be, which starts with parking.
Ensure Bathroom Facilities are Accessible
Accessible bathroom facilities go way beyond the location and the fixtures themselves; there are many guidelines to which an accessible bathroom must adhere. An accessible bathroom must have a turning radius of 1.2m, an 80cm space next to the toilet, two grab bars – beside and behind the toilet, and a door that’s a minimum of 85cm wide. You might optimize the available space even further by installing doors that swing out rather than in. These are just minimum measurements, but the more room you can provide someone in these environments, the better.
Install Appropriate Signage
Signage is important for anyone to navigate their way around your premises; however, it’s particularly important to those who are deaf or partially sighted. In order to make your signage accessible, you should use a 72-point sans-serif font. This is a suitable size, and these types of fonts are easier to read, making navigation a straightforward procedure. The last thing you want is to overcomplicate someone’s ability to move around your establishment, as this will make them less inclined to return. In contrast, if they have a positive experience, this will stick in their head, encouraging them to return.
Keep Aisles Clear
Even if a person doesn’t have additional needs, it just makes good sense to keep walkways free from obstacles. This allows customers to move through the premises without the risk of tripping. As previously mentioned, if people are able to access all areas of your business with ease, this will result in a more enjoyable experience. From this enjoyable experience, they’ll be more likely to return, and this is the end goal regarding any customer. At the end of the day, you want them to come back again and again.
The First Impression is Key
The first impression of your premises will pave the way for the customer’s expectations of the rest of the establishment. You can create a positive first impression by having ramps and automatic doors at the entrance. This enables people with mobility aids and parents with strollers to enter effortlessly. If it’s difficult to even enter the establishment, the customer won’t bother to proceed, and you certainly won’t be welcoming them again. All in all, the first impression is everything when it comes to progress in terms of accessibility.
